The Daily Grind

You all know that I spend far too much time mulling over aspects of my job.
However, even I admit that this weekend it’s gone too far.
All day I walked round with a smile on my face.
Why? Well, when I awoke this morning I knew I’d had a great dream but could I remember what it was all about? I racked my brains all day until it came to me as I stirred my gravy pan while preparing dinner.

You see, while I stirred, my mind was going over the events that faced me this week. I was looking forward to my Assembly with P4-7 on Wednesday and planning the learning outcomes for it; and that’s when I remembered!!

I’d dreamt about Formative Assessment!!!!

Last week I blogged an entry that never appeared as the filter wasn’t attached to our phone connection and someone rang us as I was blogging. The phone call cut the connection and I lost my post.
In it I was describing my joy each week as I deliver a 45 minute Assembly to our Senior pupils. This is largely down to providing NCCT to staff and initially I wondered how on earth I could fill it!

But, like the McDonalds ad – “I’m lovin’ it!”

Far from it being a chore the time races in. I’m determined all NCCT should be a meaningful learning experience for pupils and so my assemblies have been full of interactive activities with plenty of involvement for the children. We’ve had the opportunity to learn new songs and the feedback from the children has been very good.
(In fact, one boy was heard to remark to another one lunchtime last week – “remember what we learned in Assembly!”)

While I reflected, I realised that far from being merely an Assembly, I was engaged in real teaching again. (Quite a novelty for a “non-teaching head”) I decided that I should share Learning Intentions and Outcomes with the pupils and follow the AifL model.

And this was my dream!
An all-singing, all-dancing Assembly where we “Walt -ed” (not wilted!) and “Wilf -ed” , used our traffic lights, and shared in an exemplary plenary!
I’m now facing that “Sunday Night Feeling” experienced by Karen.
But I’ll head off to bed and hope for some sweet dreams!